(eng not my native, so, there will be mistakes)

Greeting. This sorta mini-guide for you and those who like a small minmax (not hardcore one,dont worry), also im gonna tell about some hidden mechanics what could improve your expirience. There will be more personal (for my 4k+ moded hours), but it should help most of you aswell.

You can check list of all perks and basic changes (without specific numbers, sorry):
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/workshop/filedetails/discussion/1693982756/3423312514214790779/

Let us begin

FIRST OF ALL, you NEED choose ascension path in first 8 slots. After one update since Overlord DLC that critically important to know, or you will be without it

Since UAP provide many perks you probably want to check, so ASAP grab Slow Learner. Perk give you slot after 10/25/50/100 game year to pick them. On X1 first tradition can be closed near to year 6-7, so to 56 game-year you already have +3 slots just from perk. It could slow you on start, but in long run gonna really help.

Dont forget research army in journal for additional amount of unity.

Your second choice probably should be Executive Vigor. Yes, this is not moded AP, but it been modified, also give you Civic 3 slots, after you research another project in your journal from time to time. It just good perk for start.

Dont forget research project in journal too.

Next one we have Nano-drone Workers. That AP give you a huge +3 planet building slots, which allow to build that new type foundries (in robot-assebly category), what can produce resources without needs in your POP's. Those buildings are depend from colony category, colony features, civics. techs, some planetary buildings, other perks and edicts, and not affected by planet habitability of planet, meaning, you can colonize world with 0 habitablility, put many city-districts for slots as you can or want, and left only 1 pop for colony (just to exist). It will save your early economy from collapce, if you ran of any basic resources, or boost your science.

In late game you also should take Nanite Composition, because with NDW directly connected (you need a hell-lot of nano-drones to obtain it in first place). I recommend make, at least, 2 colonies with fully NDW foundries what produce drones to obtain NC near 60-70 year. NC will give you Nanite repair system as research option, asweel as 3 extra tech what boost your pops, jobs output and research speed. There also 2 tech's for new megastrugture (Note - Nanite gateway are disables due bound to vanilla L-nanite gateways, what cause of creating unwanted hole in defence inside your borders);

Nanite Fabricator is a megastructure what produce large amount of nanites, and couple of alloys. That extra nanites will need you to build new ship-sections for vanilla ships (except fregats, yet). But here the catch - with extra slots your ships are lack of energy to hold shields and extra weapons, so be careful to choose too many nanite-sections. When you pick NC you have another porject in journal what give you nanites. New sections are locked behind techs in Engineering;

That not all - after you pick NC you gonna be able to add resources to some planets with special desicion (on them). They effectivness depend from planet size and system modification (like Cybrex mining hub). Basic resourses are always be on planets, aswell as small amount of nanites on top, but strategic resources - with some %. You can activate desicion on:
- Barren
- Toxic
- Molen
- Gas giants
Also you can convert any own habitable worlds into Nanite world for basics + alloys (also reducing potential lags during the war (if you genocidal or win with claims)). Not working on some custom planet types and non-planet type (like hubs and ring-worlds).

Another perk what i should mention is Space Industrialization what also can save economy early on, allowing to You increase more importany resources - science, unity, CG and alloys. SI give's you option to build "civilian" ships, what can produce base and, in mid-late game, advanced resources. They cannot, tho, produce strategic.

First of all, you need research special small project to get access to their tech, research it too, and only after that start making them (you need create design in ship-designer after research tech. Yea, too many after>then, but, anyway). From start you can build one, and up to 11 small in total (each new one can be build every 150 fleet capacity). Those ships have base-resource slots and extra-resource slots (on A-modules). Ships have several extra tech's, unlocking design's with more A-slots and give you oppotunity to put advanced resources on slots (from start you can put only energy, mineral and food).

In late game, when you get a Titan shipyard you also get access to Giga-SI ships. They are much more effective, but also cost a lot more, and have limit up to 3 each 500 fleet capacity. They, however, can make your late economy. I recommed put them on alloys or unity, if you have troubles with one of them. They build as titan, so, you can wait to research another extra A-slots - they are also more effective than small variations.

Lets talk about gestalts a little bit.

Connected Reserves is for Hive-type, which give on each colony special deposit with custom jobs from Pinnacle society (about them later). Deposits created manualy from decision and can be done 5 times on each colony, include ring-worlds and habitats. Those jobs will help you boost early on economy, aswell as provide other juicy bonuses overall. But this is the only perk in mod what have delay 20 years, so, you cant be "OP" from the start.

Next we have Super Hivemind, what not only give you pretty solid bonuses from Perk itself, you also get tech to gain some bonuses to your pops and armies, aswell as oppotunity to clone Leaders. Yes, you read me right - Clone Leaders. Hive is all, ima right?)

Another perks is Spreading Will & Aggressive Swarm. First one works as Necrophage origin, but Much effective and faster. Second one give you passive boost for ships and chance to "infest" enemy ships, which gonna be Yours with some % (meaning - you can Steal enemy ships during the battle). Both require Super Hivemind to be taken.

Mega Hivemind is quest-perk, that connect you to Greatest Hive (or, whatever, that thing dont have a name), and with some luck you can obtain fleets or resources. Beware - some routs can Hurt your economy - keep that in mind. Also require SH.